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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. charge — electricity
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — to rip
  12. charge — a price
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tube — the underground
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com